The Demise of the German Übermensch - A Soccer Primer for the World Cup Season

Global soccer season is rolling right around the corner. But as this May 31, 2010 article in the Wall Street Journal neatly summarizes, the Germans are not what they used to be when it comes to putting the round thing into the square thing.

Written by a woman, Gabriele Marcotti, the article takes up the stereotypes that seasonal soccer fans pull out of their back pockets every four years to understand national dynamics playing out during the World Cup.

"Germany is no exception. It is disciplined, brawny, team-oriented and rarely disappoints in terms of results and is as dull as it is efficient. So much so that former England striker Gary Lineker—who was on the receiving end of German "efficiency" on more than one occasion—famously quipped that "football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a round ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win."

All these German clichés are as misguided as the previous ones but they appear particularly off-base in South Africa. Far from being the paragon of solidity and efficiency, there are plenty of cracks in Joachim Löw's team, some stemming from injury, others from personality conflicts and, still others, from the simple fact that the game—and the types of players the country produces—has changed over the years.

Four years ago, Germany reached the semifinal with a young team that rode a wave of national pride, one that prompted plenty of sociological musings about how the country had come to terms with its past and shed its reluctance and unease at celebrating its own colors in public. Two years later, it reached the final of the 2008 European championships, losing to Spain. Maintaining that forward progress will be difficult."

Indeed it will be. The article continues to detail what's wrong with the German team. And there is plenty including a missing first choice captain, a suicide, and a potential player who defected to Ghana. If you want to read one primer on German chances to win the World Cup, here's my suggestion.

URL:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703703704575276363215790620.html?mod=rss_Lifestyle